It’ll be good to have the opportunity to hear from Cheon Myeong-kwan in London again. This time he’s in town for the announcement of the International Book Prize, for which he is shortlisted. Buy the book here: it’s rather fun
May Literature Night special: book talk with Cheon Myeong-kwan
Cheon Myeong-kwan, author of Whale, is a Korean novelist, screenwriter and director whose work has been translated into eight languages.
Set in a remote Korean village, Whale follows three mythical characters with interlinked lives: Geumbok, who has been chasing an indescribable thrill ever since she first saw a whale crest in the ocean; her mute daughter, Chunhui, who communicates with elephants; and a one-eyed woman who controls honeybees with a whistle.
Brimming with surprises and wicked humour, Cheon Myeong-kwan’s novel Whale is an adventure satire of epic proportions by one of international literature’s most original voices. In 2023, Cheon was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize alongside his translator, Chi-Young Kim.
We’re very pleased to be able to present this event in the lead-up to the Booker Prize. If you are interested in Korean literature or fiction in general, this is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a discussion about this essential book with the author Cheon and his translator Chi-Young Kim.